Pokemon in Nerima
by Becky Tailweaver
Summary: Ash Ketchum and Co. travel to Nerima innocently enough, but end up getting involved in the insanity. Ash's life is changed--in more ways than one! (Complete)
1. Electricity and Water

Pokemon In Nerima Part 1 ((LEGAL STUFF: Ash Ketchum, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, etc., are all property of whoever owns the Pokemon franchise including Nintendo, Game Boy, and the anime/cartoon version (it's such a large collective I'm not sure who owns what). I don't intend to infringe on anybody's rights, and I'm not getting any money out of this. Ranma Saotome, Akane Tendo, Mousse, Shampoo, and the other Ranma 1/2 characters are property of Rumiko Takahashi (hope I spelled that right). Again, this story is for reader enjoyment only. No profit is being made. Thank you, have a nice day...)) 

_Fic begun in September 1998_

  
**Pokemon In Nerima**   
_by Becky Tailweaver_

**Part 1: Electricity and Water**

"I still don't understand why we have to stick around this boring ol' town!" Ash Ketchum complained loudly. "There's almost no Pokemon around here so there's nothing to do!" 

"Chu!" Pikachu, the yellow electric mouse, agreed heartily from his perch on Ash's head. 

Misty glared at her traveling companion. "Ash, get a grip! You agreed that since I let you train your Charmander against my water Pokemon that you'd let me go shopping in the next town we came to. I don't care if it just happens to be boring old Nerima; you'll just have to grin and bear it." 

"But there's nothing to _do!_" Ash groaned. "I had to visit my cousin here once. Nothing _ever_ happens here!" 

"Pika-pika." 

"Ash, you promised!" Misty said shrilly. 

"I heard you too, Ash," Brock reminded from behind them. 

Ash waved a hand boredly. "Yeah, whatever. Fine. Go ahead an' shop. Shop 'til you drop. Walk your _feet_ off." 

"Chuuuu..." 

Misty giggled happily and trotted off down the street with Brock, Ash sullenly in tow. 

"Nerima's such a dumb ol' place..." he muttered. "So boring...no wonder there's no Pokemon here..." 

* * * * * 

Xian Pu, the purple-haired Chinese Amazon, was happily busy preparing her favorite ramen recipe. She was cooking, as usual, in the kitchen of the Cat Cafe, her great-grandmother's business. She hummed softly to herself as she stirred the noodles in the pot. 

She jumped a little as the front door opened with a jingle. "Customers!" Mu Tzu called from his sweeping in the hall. 

"I hear them come in, stupid servant boy," the young girl replied testily. She had little patience for her lovestruck would-be suitor. Handsome thought he might be, Mu Tzu was so nearsighted he could barely see even with his huge, thick glasses. 

The teenage Amazon bounced through the door to the front counter, where she spotted a redheaded girl, a shorter black-haired boy, and a tall, stoic youth that seemed to be carved from rock. The youngest boy had some kind of funny yellow cat or rabbit sitting on his shoulders. The thing was cute though... 

"Hello!" she said politely. "How can Xian Pu help you?" 

"Oh, I'd like to be able to help you!" said the oldest boy, his stony face melting into blushing admiration. Xian Pu sighed. 

"We'd like a hot lunch," the girl replied brightly with an embarassed glance at her swooning comrade. "We've been shopping all day. How about whatever's on the stove?" 

"Three ramen noodle coming up!" 

"What'd ya say your name was? Shampoo?" the younger boy asked with a puzzled laugh. 

_Whatever,_ Shampoo thought as she headed back to the kitchen. These people never could get her name right. Oh, well, as long as their money was good... 

* * * * * 

Ash twiddled impatiently as he sat in the booth next to Misty. _Come on,_ he thought. "What's taking the ramen so long?" he asked out loud to no one in particular. 

"Be patient. I'm sure she's cooking it extra special just for us," Brock said, gazing dreamily in the direction of the kitchen. 

"Oh, brother, not again," Misty moaned, seeing Brock starstruck by yet another pretty young woman. 

"Excuse me," said a soft male voice, "I couldn't help noticing that...interesting creature you have with you." 

Ash and his companions started, then looked up at the servant boy, who was leaning on his broom at their table. "Huh?" they all said. 

"Sorry." The young man pulled his glasses down out of his long, dark red-brown hair and adjusted them on his nose. "My name is Mu Tzu, but since that's hard for you to pronounce, you can call me Mousse." 

"Hi," the trio greeted easily. 

"I'm Misty," the redhead greeted. "This is Ash, and that's Brock." 

"Pleased to meet you," Mousse replied. "That yellow creature--what is it?" 

Ash grinned. This kind of work was his forte. "It's a Pokemon!" he responded eagerly. "This one's a Pikachu." 

"Pikapika!" Pikachu greeted brightly. 

"It's very nice," Mousse commented, patting Pikachu's soft head. "I've heard a little about Pokemon. Aren't they dangerous?" 

"Only when they're wild or untrained," Ash replied without hesitation. "I'm a Pokemon trainer, and I've won lots of battles. Someday soon I'm gonna be a Pokemon Master and a member of the Pokemon League, and maybe even become the leader!" 

Mousse laughed. "You've sure got a lot of goals for such a little guy." 

"Hey! I'm twelve years old! I'm not little!" Ash looked disgruntled. 

"Pik-pikachu!" the electric mouse agreed. 

"I'm sure you'll achieve everything you hope for," Mousse said placatingly. 

"Mu Tzu!" Shampoo barked. "Why you bothering customers? Go back and finish sweeping job!" Her thick Chinese accent made her even more comical as she stood behind him with her hands full of Ramen plates. 

Mousse, bigger than her and probably stronger, merely ducked his head and scurried back to his work, not caring in the least that the surprised group stared after him as he left. Shampoo deposited their meals with a cheery "Enjoy ramen!" and departed. 

"Gosh, did you see how she bossed him around?" Misty said softly, picking up her first bite. 

"Yeah, and he just ran off to do it!" Ash said. "I can't believe any guy, especially one like him, would let himself get pushed around by some girl." 

"And what do you mean by 'some girl?'" Misty demanded. "Are you saying girls have no authority?" 

"That's not what I said," Ash defended. "I just mean that guys don't usually let people boss them around, especially girls." 

"So you're saying that girls are weak?" Misty's voice was beginning to rise in volume. "What's wrong with being a girl?" 

Brock merely ate complacently, not looking up from his plate. "I'm staying out of this." 

"Well?" Misty growled. 

"Nothing! There's nothing wrong with being a girl. I mean, not that I...uh, well..." Ash swallowed his bite of ramen nervously. "Well, girls aren't as strong as guys, but..." 

"Ash, you idiot!" Misty was fuming. 

* * * * * 

In the kitchen, Shampoo rolled her eyes in resignation. The young girl's rising voice in the other room reminded her of another girl she knew who often yelled at a certain boy... 

* * * * * 

Hurriedly, Ash gulped the rest of his meal and rose from the table. "Uh, I'm gonna go look around. See you guys when you're done. Bye!" 

Hopefully, he could allow Misty's temper to cool for a while. Leaving his friends at the booth, he wandered through the cafe, eventually coming to an open door that led into the back. "Not An Exit" said the sign across the doorway on a rope. 

Ash would have gone right past, except that Pikachu chose that moment to squeal "Pikapi! Pika-pika pikachu!" and leap off of Ash's shoulder to dash into the closed room. 

"Pikachu! Get back here!" Ash ordered, exhasperated. Looking over his shoulder, he cautiously ducked under the rope and entered the back room. "Pikachu!" 

"Pika pika pika," could be heard from around the corner in the hall. Ash followed, turning the corner just in time to see Pikachu vanish up a flight of stairs. 

"Pikachu..." Ash's voice dropped to a whisper, afraid of being caught trespassing. "Pikachu, come back!" 

The young Pokemon trainer paused at the top of the stairs, unsure of where his favorite pal had gone. Only one door was open, the one at the end of the hall, and it looked just wide enough for a plump Pikachu to have popped in. He tiptoed to the room and pushed the door open. 

The room looked like an ancient attic, or perhaps an antique shop. It was full of old and arcane-looking objects, some large, others small. There were trinkets of jewelry, vials on shelves, and scattered leaves of yellowed paper bearing indecipherable Chinese handwriting, among other things. 

"Pikachu," Ash called, barely above a breath. 

"Pikapi!" The squeak to his left made him jump around. Spotting a flash of yellow, he dove underneath a shelf/desk after it. He missed, only succeeding in cracking his head on the bottom of the desk part as he came back up. 

The impact of the boy's hard skull against an equally hard wooden brace caused the shelf/table to lurch, one of the more unsteady vials on it rocking precariously. Rocking...rocking...and falling. The bottle's neck snapped off with its impact on the desk's surface, and its transparent contents spilled onto the young trainer's body as he knealt rubbing his sore head, soaking him. 

As if the crash of the breaking glass bottle wasn't bad enough, the icy-cold liquid pouring down his shirt made Ash gasp and jerk backwards, getting his head and then an arm into the strangely cold liquid. A funny tingle ran through him, almost like when Pikachu sent him a mild electric current. It was a warm tingle, not painful but distinctly unpleasant. 

Ash groaned and staggered to his feet, still rubbing his aching skull. "Pikachu!" he hissed through gritted teeth. "Where are you?" 

"Pika. Pik-a-chuuu..." Pikachu's voice was low, enthralled. 

Ash went around a freestanding bookshelf and found his pal staring into an electricity globe, one of those neat set-ups where the glowing electricity arcs out to the glass from a central sphere, creating an interesting, if dramatic, light show. Pikachu's whiskers were crackling golden energy in response to the blue-white strands. 

"Aw, is that all?" Ash groaned, feeling oddly light-headed. "C'mon, Pikachu, we're not supposed to be in here." 

"Pika..." The electric mouse seemed disappointed. 

"C'mon, pal. If we make enough money on betting on fights, I could buy you an electricity globe to play with. But we gotta go." 

"Chu..." Pikachu allowed Ash to switch off the globe. When the electric mouse turned to him, it gazed at him intently, suddenly seeming perplexed. "Pikapi?" 

"Yeah, Pikachu, let's go." Ash turned to leave, expecting Pikachu's familiar weight to appear on his shoulders. It didn't come. "Pikachu?" He turned. 

Pikachu still stood on the table, staring at him, an ear cocked oddly. "Pika...pi?" 

"Pikachu, what's wrong? It's just me." Ash raised an eyebrow. "Now c'mon, we gotta go meet Misty and Brock. They're done eating by now." 

"Chuuuu." Instead of leaping to his shoulder, Pikachu hopped down from the table and trotted towards the door after him. Ash shrugged, then walked downstairs. Pikachu stayed beside and slightly behind him the whole time, still watching him closely. 

He made it back to the _do not enter_ door with no problem, then slipped out hoping no one would notice the broken bottle and spilled liquid until he was long gone. He found his friends waiting for him just outside the Cat Cafe's front door. 

"Hey, Brock! Hey, Misty!" Ash greeted, his voice sounding a little squeaky to his ears. He passed this off as nervousness; he didn't know if Misty had forgiven him yet. 

"'Bout time," Brock commented. 

"Hi, Ash," Misty said noncomittally. "Ready to keep going?" 

"Sure, fine, let's go," Ash said quickly, eager to placate her. At least she'd gone from mad to 'I'm-going-to-be-indifferent-to-you-until-I-think-you're-sorry-enough.' He could deal with that. "I've got all day if you want to shop more." 

Misty said nothing, but led Ash and Brock down the sidewalk towards the thicker side of the shopping district. 

* * * * * 

Mousse finished his hour of chores downstairs and headed up to his room to rest. He got to the top of the stairs when he noticed, blurrily, that the door to Grandmother Khu Lon's study had been left wide open. 

The young man wandered over to shut it when the distinct smell of damp carpet came to his attention. He stepped into the room, squinting about until he located the silvery blur of a bottle lying on its side on the desk top. He picked it up, felt the broken edges, and frowned. Now who could have done this? Surely not any of the recent guests. But that young boy--what was his name?--had wandered off for a bit... Bringing the bottle close to his face, he struggled to make out the label. 

_'Sus...Suspended...N...Nyannii...chu...an...'_ he read to himself. Then he gasped. "_Nyanniichuan!_ Oh, no!" 

* * * 

  
_**Author's Notes:** Oh my God it's a POKEMON FIC!! I know, I know...but it's actually pretty darn old. As in...before 2000 old...and I posted it anyway. Just because it's stupid, funny, and cute. And I think I did a darn good job of it, too. This is probably as silly of a fic as I'll ever write, but even so, it has its serious moments too. Read on and see--I'm sure you'll like. _

Find more at http://members.fortunecity.com/tailweaver/index.html 


	2. Shock and Challenge

Pokemon In Nerima Part 2 ((LEGAL STUFF: Ash Ketchum, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, etc., are all property of whoever owns the Pokemon franchise including Nintendo, Game Boy, and the anime/cartoon version (it's such a large collective I'm not sure who owns what). I don't intend to infringe on anybody's rights, and I'm not getting any money out of this. Ranma Saotome, Akane Tendo, Mousse, Shampoo, and the other Ranma 1/2 characters are property of Rumiko Takahashi (hope I spelled that right). Again, this story is for reader enjoyment only. No profit is being made. Thank you, have a nice day...)) 

  
**Pokemon In Nerima**   
_by Becky Tailweaver_

**Part 2: Shock and Challenge**

Ash had been following Misty from store to store for over an hour now since lunch, and was getting rather tired of it. His feet hurt, he felt tired, and Pikachu was still keeping his distance. He wondered if the Pokemon was upset because he'd made him leave the electricity globe. 

Ash also had to use the restroom, fairly urgently considering how fast he'd drunk his soda at the Cat Cafe. He was getting fed up waiting for Misty to declare the trip's end. 

"Okay, that's it. I've had enough," he declared finally, unable to stand it any longer. 

"Huh?" Misty glared at him. "You promised I could shop all day!" 

"Not you," Ash growled. "I gotta go." 

"What?" 

"Men's room. I'll be right back." 

"Oh." Misty's face lost it's dark look. "Whatever." 

Ash trotted off, Pikachu still following him from a distance, looking for a restroom. "Jeez, why's she always gotta be so sensitive?" he grumbled as he went. "It's not like I think girls are _weak_. I just think they aren't as strong as boys. Boys always make better Pokemon trainers. We don't get so emotional about everything..." 

Ash found a restroom in a small department store two shops back. Without hesitating, he strode into the men's room, Pikachu darting in beside him. The place was empty. He had just unipped his pants and was ready to get down to business when he suddenly noticed something missing. Something very important. 

"What the--?" A terrified cry echoed through the bathroom, fortunately not penetrating the walls to the rest of the store. 

* * * * * 

Misty tapped her foot and checked her watch. "What's taking Ash so long? He's been gone ten minutes already." 

"Give him a break," Brock said softly. "He did drink a ton of pop at the cafe." 

"Yeah, whatever." The redhead still looked irritated. "How much longer do we have to wait?" 

* * * * * 

_Oh God, oh God, what happened to me? Oh God..._ Ash frantically locked the door to the men's bathroom and scurried over to the mirror. Ripping off his baseball cap, he tore off his jacket and stared at himself in horror--realizing at the same time that _him_self didn't really apply anymore. 

There wasn't much difference between his old face and his new one, save that the angles were softer and his new skin slightly paler. His hair was only a shade lighter than it had been, and was a little less spiky. It was almost slightly curly. He had eyelashes that reminded him of Misty, and his small, fine hands no longer fit snugly into his fingerless gloves. Why hadn't he realized that his clothes had suddenly grown a tad? 

He took a moment to feel at his new face, then peered into his shirt, frightened beyond measure. There wasn't as much difference between the body of a twelve-year-old boy and a twelve-year-old girl as there was in an older person, but it was enough to be noticeable even through the shirt. 

"Oh my God..." Ash Ketchum sank to her knees against the bathroom wall, mind blanked in utter shock. "I'm a..._girl!_" 

* * * * * 

Misty had had enough. "That's it, I'm going after him. He's been in there for twenty minutes! C'mon Brock." The young girl stomped into the department store, dragging the older boy after her. They wound their way to the back of the store until they found the restrooms. Then Misty banged loudly on the men's room door. 

* * * * * 

Ash jerked around from splashing her face with cold water. "Oh, no!" she whispered, hearing Misty's irritated voice. 

"Ash! Ash Ketchum, you come out this minute! You've been in there nearly half an hour!" 

Ash had figured out how to go to the bathroom, but was then washing her face with cold water to try to get rid of the redness around her eyes. It was amazing how having something like this happen to you made you want to cry. 

Pikachu was still sitting in the corner, staring at her. "Pika... Pika...pi?" 

Ash put her jacket and hat back on. "Come on, Pikachu, it's me!" she said softly. 

"Pika?" Pikachu cocked an ear. 

"I know it's weird," Ash said. "I know it's confusing that I'm a...I'm a...girl...but it's really me." 

"Chuuuu!" Pikachu sounded amazed. 

"I'm Ash," she responded. "It's still me. I'm still Ash Ketchum. I don't know what's happened to me, Pikachu, but it's still me underneath." 

"Pika...pi?" Pikachu considered, then smiled and trotted over to her. "Pikapi!" 

"Thanks, Pikachu," Ash said gratefully, hugging the electric mouse. "It's nice to know one of us is still sane. I'm glad you believe me." 

"Ash Ketchum! Unlock this door right now!" came Misty's voice from outside. "I'll have Brock use Onyx!" 

"Oh, what am I gonna do?" Ash pulled her cap down closer to her face. "Maybe they won't notice. They didn't before, and neither did I..." She zipped her jacket up so her friends would hopefully not notice the...two new additions to her life. "Okay, I've got to keep this a secret. Don't tell them, okay Pikachu?" 

"Chu." The yellow Pokemon nodded solemnly, hopping to her shoulder. 

Ash unlocked the door and opened it, only to be grabbed by the jacket-front by Misty and hauled out. "What have you been doing? Do you know how late it is?" 

Ash hurriedly shoved the taller girl away. "I was just goin' to the bathroom, jeez," she grumbled, keeping her voice low. "Can't a guy have any privacy?" 

"Fine. But now it's late and we've got to find a hotel." Misty grabbed her hand and dragged her along. "You've made us late! If there's no rooms open, I'm gonna..." 

"C'mon, Misty, this is _Nerima_. Nobody ever comes here; it's such a boring place," Ash said. _Well, boring up until now._

* * * * * 

Mousse had somehow made it to the Tendo Dojo, despite his near-blindness, and banged anxiously on the door. After his third set frantic knocks the door was opened by Kasumi Tendo. 

"Oh! Mousse, how can I help you?" the oldest Tendo daughter asked politely. 

"Is Ranma here?" Mousse asked quickly. "It's an emergency." 

"Yeah, I'm here, Mousse," said Ranma Saotome himself, from behind Kasumi. Mousse could tell by his voice that the martial artist's guard was up. "Whaddya want? Shampoo again?" 

Mousse drew himself up. "Despite our rivalry over the beautiful Shampoo and my attempts to prove my love for her, this has nothing to do with you and I, or Shampoo." 

Ranma stepped out onto the porch. "You're not here to attack me?" 

"Not this time," Mousse admitted. "This has to do with the well-being of an innocent young person. Will you hear me out?" 

Ranma sighed, crossing his arms. "This ain't some dumb trick of Cologne's, is it?" 

"I'm coming of my own accord, Saotome. Cologne and Shampoo know nothing of this." 

"Huh. I thought Cologne _always_ knows what's going on." 

"Would you just shut up and listen, Saotome?" Mousse snapped. "Someone's in trouble and I need your...expertise to get them out." 

"All right, all right..." Ranma rolled his eyes. Why did all the hard-luck cases always come looking for him? "It ain't some girl that's gonna latch on to me and wanna marry me, is it?" 

"Well, probably not," Mousse said wryly, then turned serious. "It has to do with someone that was at the Cat Cafe earlier, and somehow got into Cologne's study." 

"And that means...what?" 

"I think it was a little boy who was there at lunchtime," Mousse continued. "I forget his name, but he had a yellow Pokemon with him. I think _he_ spilled some of this, maybe even on himself." The Chinese boy pulled out the broken bottle, holding it up for Ranma to see the label. 

"I can't read Chinese, duck-boy," Ranma growled. 

Mousse swallowed his anger at the jibe. "It says Suspended Nyanniichuan, Saotome." 

"_Nyanniichuan?_" Ranma's suspicion dropped in a second. "Some poor kid went an' spilled Nyanniichuan on himself? Man..." 

"Now do you see why I need your help?" Mousse asked. "I can't see well enough to locate the boy out of a crowd. I need your eyes...and your experience." 

"Sure, yeah," Ranma replied. "I gotta find this kid and help him understand the curse so he doesn't freak out too bad. I can do that; I understand what he's goin' through." 

"I'm sure he's 'freaking out' already, Saotome," Mousse said. 

"How'm I gonna find one kid in the middl'a Nerima? Ya don't even know what he really looks like." 

"He has the yellow Pokemon. Just look for that." 

"Oh." Ranma paused. "What the heck's a Pokemon?" 

"It's about the size of a fat...er...duck..." Mousse had been about to say "cat" but thought better of it, seeing as how Ranma was deathly afraid of even having the species mentioned. "It looks a little like a rabbit, but it's golden yellow all over with a tail like a lightning bolt. Trust me, you can't miss it. Even I didn't." 

"Okay. I'll get goin', then," Ranma said with a nod, but Mousse stopped him. 

"There's more," Mousse continued. "I need you to explain to him the facts about _Suspended_ Nyanniichuan. It's different." 

"Suspended?" Ranma looked puzzled. "How different?" 

Mousse looked grim. "Sit down with me, Saotome, and I'll explain the difference between your curse and his..." 

* * * * * 

If Ash thought that her predicament was bad now, what happened when the group rounded a corner was even worse. 

"There you are, Ash Ketchum!" yelled a familiar, if disliked, voice. 

Ash groaned, feeling as if she'd curled up and died inside. _Oh, no, it's Gary!_

Gary Oak, grandson of Professor Oak the Pokemon expert, waved and jogged up to them, his customary smirk in place. "Hi, _Ash_. How's the Pokemon training going? Oh, look, still hanging out with your cute little runt Pikachu." 

"Pika-_chu!_" the electric mouse spat angrily. 

"Gary, what are _you_ doing here?" Ash snarled, almost forgetting to lower the timbre of her voice. 

"I've been trying to catch up with you for some time now," said the proud sixteen-year-old. "When I heard you were heading for the forest outside Nerima to train, I thought I'd come along. After all, there's hardly any Pokemon around here and I thought we could have a match or two, since there won't be any interruptions. That and not many Pokemon folks to watch you lose, so you won't be embarassed." 

Ash fumed inside. "I don't care what you want, Gary. I didn't come here to battle Pokemon. I came to...to...let Misty shop for a while." She turned and huffed off down the sidewalk. 

"Oh, so that's it. The great Ash Ketchum is too chicken to battle me." Gary smiled cruelly, knowing just how to jab the youngster. "What'sa matter, too girly to battle Pokemon? You'd much rather go _dress_ shopping with Misty!" 

"Pika! Chu pika!" 

Ash whirled, fists clenched, teeth gritted. "I am _not_ a _girl!_ I can handle _any_ Pokemon battle _any_ time! Just pick your time and place!" 

"Fine. Noon tomorrow at Furinkan High School's outdoor basketball court. See ya." Gary walked off, smirking broadly at having egged the younger trainer into another battle. 

Ash dropped her anger the moment she realized what she'd done. _Oh, no! I can't battle Gary--not like this! And I can't back down now or he'll never let me forget it!_

"Well, this should be exciting," Misty giggled as she followed an unresponsive Ash towards the hotel. "I know you can beat Gary any day!" 

This jerked Ash out of her stupor. "You really think so?" 

"Well, you can be irresponsible about your techniques, but your Pokemon are great." Misty seemed willing to give Ash the benefit of the doubt, even with this small of a compliment. 

Brock checked them in at the hotel, him being the oldest. "All right, I got us a room on the second floor, with two beds." 

Ash's eyes widened. "What, we can't get separate rooms?" 

Misty shook her head. "Now, Ash, why would we need to do that? We've never needed separate rooms before, and besides, it costs too much." 

"Never mind. It was nothing." 

"Ash, are you okay? You look a little pale." Misty leaned over to feel Ash's forehead. 

Ash ducked out of her reach. "_No!_ I mean...no, I'm fine. Just a little tired, that's all." 

"Oh." Misty dropped the matter for the remainder of the evening. 

That night, the three trainers slept as usual, with Misty on one bed and Ash and Brock on another. Ash, however, slept fully clothed, on the outside of the blankets, and as far away from Brock as she could get. 

* * * 

  
_AN: Alright, it's finally happened. And I'm sure it'll hit the fan soon--please be kind with reviews even if you hate Pokemon! (ducks thrown veggies) I'm sorry! I wrote this in the stupidity of my youth..._


	3. Revelation and Search

Pokemon In Nerima Part 3 ((LEGAL STUFF: Ash Ketchum, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, etc., are all property of whoever owns the Pokemon franchise including Nintendo, Game Boy, and the anime/cartoon version (it's such a large collective I'm not sure who owns what). I don't intend to infringe on anybody's rights, and I'm not getting any money out of this. Ranma Saotome, Akane Tendo, Mousse, Shampoo, and the other Ranma 1/2 characters are property of Rumiko Takahashi (hope I spelled that right). Again, this story is for reader enjoyment only. No profit is being made. Thank you, have a nice day...)) 

  
**Pokemon In Nerima**   
_by Becky Tailweaver_

**Part 3: Revelation and Search**

"Rise an' shine, sleepyheads!" came Brock's cheerful voice. "I'm off to the Cat Cafe--I'll bring back breakfast!" 

Ash groaned and looked over in time to see Brock's spiky brown hair disappear out the door. _That waitress...we'll be lucky if he gets back in time for lunch._ The young trainer sat up, rubbed his eyes, then stared perplexedly at his hand..._her_ hand. 

_Oh, no, it wasn't a dream...!_ Ash fell back on the pillow with a moan of fear. _What's gonna happen to me now? I still can't fight Gary like this! What if he finds out? He'll never stop teasing me!_

"Morning Ash," said Misty sleepily, coming out of the bathroom. "Sleep well?" 

"No," Ash confided distractedly. She got up and began to pace. _I can't battle Gary like this and I can't back down, I can't battle Gary but I can't run away from the fight..._

"..._Ash!_" 

Ash blinked. Misty had called her name several times now. "What?" 

"Why aren't you listening to me? You've got to get ready for the battle this afternoon," Misty informed her. 

"Uh, I don't...know if I can have a Pokemon battle with Gary," Ash murmered, sitting heavily back down on the bed. 

"_What?_" Misty looked positively flabbergasted. "What do you mean you can't? Don't tell me you're afraid of him..." She paused. "Are you?" 

"No!" Ash asserted. "Yes. No...I don't know..." She shook her head. "I'm not sure anymore. But...I just can't battle Gary. Not right now..." 

"Ash, are you feeling alright?" Misty looked infinitely concerned as she sat beside her. "Did something happen yesterday?" 

"No!" Ash immediately regretted her outburst. "Well...yes." _Oh no, oh no, oh no, I can't tell her but I have to...I can't tell her but maybe she'll understand; she's a girl...and now so am I. Maybe she won't laugh at me..._

"Ash, what's bothering you? You can tell me. We're...friends, remember?" 

Ash took a deep breath, looking intently into Misty's honest blue eyes. "Will you swear not to tell anybody? And I mean anybody; not even Brock or your Pokemon. No one." 

Misty looked at her for a moment. "Okay, I promise." 

Ash then looked down, twiddling her fingers. _Here goes. Come on, Ash, keep your nerve. You're a Pokemon trainer. Afraid of nothin'!_ She took a deep breath, but still had to struggle to grit out the humiliating words. "I'm...I'm a...girl." 

Misty gazed at her for several seconds. "_What?_ What on earth are you talking about?" 

"I said I'm a _girl!_" Ash growled. "Didn't I speak clearly enough? I don't like having to repeat it." 

"Ash, you shouldn't let the things Gary says get to you," Misty said in a rather motherly manner. "Just because that big bully called you 'girly' doesn't mean you have to take it seriously." 

"This has nothing to do with Gary's insult!" Ash burst out. "I mean it really--I'm a girl! Do I have to take off my clothes and _show_ you?" She immediately turned bright red with embarassment at her revelation, especially when she realized how shrill her voice had become. 

Misty blinked, then gulped, then stared for a long time. "Ash--are you--are you _serious?_" 

Still blushing furiously, Ash plucked her cap off and shed her jacket, the only things that had served as a disguise. "Does this look like I'm joking?" 

Misty stared at the suddenly softened lines in Ash's face, the large amber eyes with full lashes, the almost curly dark brown hair, the...noticeable feminine curves of the body. "Ash, do you mean to tell me you've been a girl all this time?" she nearly shrieked incredulously. "All this time and I never guessed. So is your real name Ashl--?" 

"Don't even say it!" Ash snapped. "No, I have not always been a girl. It happened yesterday." 

Misty calmed somewhat. "So...you're telling me you're not _really_ a girl, and that you just yesterday happened to become one?" She looked unconvinced. 

Ash shrugged. "In a nutshell...yeah." She stared down at her hands...her _girl's hands_. "You believe in magic?" 

"No." 

"You'd better start." Ash looked up at her. "Misty, I swear I've been a boy up until now. I'm not lying. Even Pikachu didn't know me!" 

"It's..._true?_ But, how on earth...?" Misty's mouth was wide open. 

"I don't know! All I know is that I was trying to go to the bathroom when I found out. I don't know how it happened!" Ash sounded confused, desperate. 

"Pik-a," Pikachu said quietly, hopping up on the bed and sitting close to Ash's side. 

"In the _bathroom?_" Misty gasped, concerned and indignant at the same time. "That's why it took so long... Ash, you knew yesterday and you didn't _tell_ me?" 

"Gosh, Misty, do you think it was easy for me just now?" Ash demanded. "What was I supposed to do? Walk out and say 'Hi, guys, just found out I'm a girl today. Just thought you'd like to know!' I was still freaking out. I had to think." 

"But I could've helped you!" Misty cried. "Oh, the separate rooms... Ash, why couldn't you trust me?" 

"Because I was scared, and embarassed, and..." Ash looked down again. "Misty, you don't understand what this is like. It's like everything I am...everything that was who I am is...gone." 

Misty sat in sympathetic silence. Pikachu gave a soft murmur and nestled closer to Ash's side, offering comfort. 

"I'm not a boy anymore," Ash said softly. "It's like my body isn't mine. I know I'm Ash, but I don't know who I am." 

"Ash, can I...help?" 

"Not unless you can do magic," Ash replied dispondently. "I need to go think for a while." 

"Gary will be waiting at noon," Misty said quietly. "What are you going to do?" 

"I don't want to think about Gary." Ash stood up and walked towards the door. "I really don't need him finding out about this. I'm humiliated enough as it is!" 

"Are you sure you don't want to battle Gary?" Misty asked. "He doesn't have to know. Ash, I didn't even know! You could do the battle, beat Gary, and then we could leave and figure out how to get you back to normal." 

Ash sighed, shaking her head. "I don't know. I have to think. I gotta go..." 

Misty clutched her arm. "Ash, you don't have to run from Gary!" 

"Lemme go!" Ash jerked her arm out of Misty's hand, turning to run right into Brock's chest as the older trainer came in the door with a box of food. 

"Ash!" Brock nearly dropped his box in the collision, then stared confusion. The person before him looked like Ash...but it was...a girl? "A-Ash? What--?" 

Ash realized that Brock _knew_ in that moment. With an inarticulate cry, she shoved past him, fleeing out the door. 

"Ash, wait!" Misty called after her. 

"Pikapi!" Pikachu dashed after his friend. 

Brock was stuttering in abject puzzlement. "M-Misty, that was...th-that was..._Ash?_" 

Misty sighed heavily. "Come in and sit down, Brock. I've got something to explain to you..." 

* * * * *

Ash didn't stop running until she was far away from Brock, Misty, and the hotel. By the time she was out of breath, she'd run a ways into the park district and lost herself among the trees and bushes. 

Breathing heavily, Ash leaned back against a tree, trembling with weariness and shame. She let herself slide down the smooth bark until she sat down against it. She felt tears of frustration and embarassment welling up, but refused to let them go. 

_I won't! I won't cry. Boys don't cry. Boys don't cry...they don't!_ Despite her efforts, though, a single tear slid down her pale cheek. _Oh, who am I kidding? I'm not even a boy anymore!_

Ash also realized, to her supreme annoyance, that she'd run off without even her disguising jacket and hat. _Dang it! Now if anyone sees me they'll know! God, why did this happen to me? Why do I deserve this? I'm not me anymore!_

"Pikapi?" Pikachu trotted out of the bushes, coming to perch himself close to Ash's side. "Pika...pika-chu. Chuuuu, chuuuu..." The electric mouse seemed to be speaking soft encouragement in his own tongue. "Chuuu...Pikapi..." 

Ash gathered the Pokemon up in her arms, burying her face in the soft yellow fur. Pikachu remained still, continuing his comforting murmurs, letting Ash muffle her tears in his coat. 

* * * * *

Ranma Saotome wandered about the town, walking on rooftops and fences as usual, looking for a girl who might not be a girl, or a boy with a yellow Pokemon. Finding such a person among all the residents of Nerima might not be easy, but Ranma was determined to help a fellow curse victim. 

_Poor kid's prob'ly freaked out of his head,_ Ranma thought as he jogged along the top of a chain link fence. _Mousse was right to come ta me. I was cursed with Nyanniichuan too. Being a guy cursed ta turn into a girl is prob'ly the worst thing that could happen to anybody. I can understand the kid better'n anyone._

Ranma could remember his own feelings when he'd first been cursed: Coming to the surface in the Jusenkyo pool of Nyanniichuan, hearing his own altered voice raised to an impossibly high soprano scream after pulling open his shirt to view his drastically changed body. Then his feelings of horror, humiliation, fear, shame... 

Ranma shook away the memories. Even today, with every water-induced change he was forced to endure, the feelings would spring anew. Dulled by time, yes, but always there. 

_At least this kid has a chance,_ Ranma thought. _And he has somethin' I never did--someone who understands._

"Hey, Ranma-honey!" called a familiar voice. 

"Huh? Ukyo!" Ranma hadn't noticed that his musings had led him to Ukyo's restaurant. "Hey, howzit going?" 

"Great!" Ukyo Kuonji waved from the doorway of her shop, her long reddish-brown hair blowing in the breeze. 

Ranma hopped down off the fence and headed over. "Ukyo, I could sure use some info, and I'm too broke to go to Nabiki--" 

"Just a sec, Ranma, I have got to tell you about something!" Ukyo seemed bubbling with excitement. "There's gonna be a battle--a real battle royal--at noon in the basketball court at Furinkan High! It'll be incredible--the whole town'll be there! A couple of real, live Pokemon trainers have come to Nerima and they're going to do a battle just for us to see!" 

"That's nice, Ukyo, but--" Ranma broke off, realizing what she'd said. "Didja say _Pokemon trainers?_" 

"Uh-huh! And--" 

"Thanks, Ukyo, ya really made my day!" Ranma turned and dashed off down the street, not looking back. 

Ukyo sighed and shook her head. "Sometime's there's just no talking to that guy. 'Bye, Ranma. You owe me a lunch date for that..." 

* * * 


	4. Flight and Disbelief

Pokemon In Nerima Part 4 ((LEGAL STUFF: Ash Ketchum, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, etc., are all property of whoever owns the Pokemon franchise including Nintendo, Game Boy, and the anime/cartoon version (it's such a large collective I'm not sure who owns what). I don't intend to infringe on anybody's rights, and I'm not getting any money out of this. Ranma Saotome, Akane Tendo, Mousse, Shampoo, and the other Ranma 1/2 characters are property of Rumiko Takahashi (hope I spelled that right). Again, this story is for reader enjoyment only. No profit is being made. Thank you, have a nice day...)) 

  
**Pokemon In Nerima**   
_by Becky Tailweaver_

**Part 4: Flight and Relief**

When Ash finally felt stable enough to raise her head, she realized she was hearing the sounds of Pokemon battle--the yells of a trainer, the grunts of struggling Pokemon, the thuds and explosions of powerful fighting. 

_Who on earth...?_ Ash rose to her feet and followed the sounds. 

"Pi-ka-chu, Pikapi?" Pikachu quieried, tagging along. 

"Shhh!" Ash hushed. By the time she cautiously approached the source of the noise, the battle was winding down. 

"Yeah, Charmeleon! Good job, boy. Return!" ordered a familiar voice. 

"_Gary!_" Ash hissed in realization, peering through the brush to view the older boy kneeling beside his fallen Sandslash in a well-charred forest clearing. _Training,_ she realized suddenly. _Getting ready for this afternoon!_

"Good try, Slash," Gary said softly, patting the weakened creature's head. "Return, fella. You deserve a rest." 

Ash watched, stunned, as the injured Sandslash vanished into the Pokeball. She'd never seen Gary act with such concern towards any Pokemon. Then again, Gary always acted tough when Ash was around... 

Gary stood up with a sigh, then looked as if he were going to call out another pair of Pokemon to train. Ash leaned forward to see what he was doing...and a branch she was leaning on broke with a _snap!_ that brough Gary's head around with suspicion. "Hey! Who's there?" 

Terror-stricken, Ash froze, then turned and crashed away through the brush, not knowing if Gary'd spotted her or not. 

_Oh no, oh no--please don't let him see me--please don't let him see me like this--oh, no--_ The panicked litany in her head was snapped off as she suddenly tumbled down a steep embankment, trying to roll with the fall. She crash-landed in a muddy ditch, covered in bruises and scrapes, and soaking wet. Dragging herself out of the muck, she kept fleeing, stumbling half-blind, trying to get back to the hotel. 

* * * * * 

Misty jumped when she heard the banging on the hotel room door. 

"Misty! Misty, let me in, _please!_" cried a plaintive female voice, the banging continuing. "_Misty!_" 

"Ash!" The redhead hurried over to the door, unlocking it and nearly throwing it open. "Ash! Oh, I was so worried about you! Where have you been? I--" 

Misty suddenly realized that she'd dragged the smaller girl into the apartment and was hugging her, and that Ash was covered from head to toe in grime and scratches. Releasing her friend guiltily, Misty stood back. "Ash, what happened? Who did this to you?" 

"Nobody," Ash said lowly, shutting the door behind her. "I fell down." 

Misty attempted to brush some of the dirt off of her own shirt. "Oh, really. You fell down? Jeeze, are you sure? Or did the ground jump up and _hit_ you? What did you think you were doing?" 

Ash flinched. "I was walking in the park's wilderness area and I saw Gary. I didn't want him to see me so I ran and...fell down a ditch." She finally noticed Brock sitting unobtrusively in the corner and reddened. 

"It's okay, Ash, I explained things to him," Misty said. 

Brock cleared his throat. "I'm sorry I, uh, scared you, er, Ash. I just thought you were...I mean you looked like...er...sorry..." The older boy stuttered himself into silence. 

"Just stop staring at me like that!" Ash snapped. "You're givin' me the creeps! I'm not a girl on the inside!" 

Brock embarassedly averted his eyes, going back to staring at his feet and twiddling his thumbs. "Sorry." 

"We can't help it, Ash," Misty said. "You look different. You look..." She glanced at the mud-encrusted, sodden clothing, which had become very form-fitting. "You look different." She could think of nothing else to say that might not hurt her friend. 

"Thanks a lot," Ash grumbled. 

"Pikapi!" came a muffled cry from the door, and then a faint scratching. "Pika--_chu!_" 

"Pikachu!" Ash gasped, opening the door to let her friend in. "I'm sorry, Pikachu, I forgot." 

"Chu." The Pokemon shrugged understandingly, then trotted over to the bed and curled up on it. 

"Gee, Ash, if you forgot Pikachu you must've really been scared," Misty commented. 

"Me?" Ash demanded reflexively. "Scared of Gary? You gotta be kidding!" 

"Then aren't you going to the battle?" 

Ash thought a moment, her face becoming determined. "I've gotta do it, Misty, or I'll never live it down. I'll put on my hat and jacket and pray he doesn't notice. And then I'll beat his Pokemon so good he'll have to go runnin' back to his grandpa!" 

"That's the spirit, Ash!" Misty congratulated. "Now, let's get you cleaned up. I think we have enough time before the match to get your clothes washed." 

Ash allowed Misty to lead her into the bathroom and shut the door. The smaller girl stood blankly still for a few moments. 

"Okay, Ash, clothes off," Misty ordered. 

Ash blinked, stunned for a moment. "_What?_ Are you _nuts?_" 

Misty smiled at her. "Hey, you're a girl, remember? That's nothing I haven't seen before." 

Turning beet red all over, Ash mumbled something under her breath and began to undress, piling her clothes on the floor. Misty turned on the shower water so it could begin to warm. When she turned to look at Ash, she stopped and stared. 

Ash was mutely staring at the bathroom mirror, arms wrapped defensively around herself, taking in the complete and utter physical change. The look on her face was one of abject shock and loss. 

Misty herself couldn't help but look Ash over, her mind spinning with renewed shock. There were absolutely no male characteristics to Ash's body; no trace of the boy she used to be. Only the vaguely familiar lines to the face, the slightly altered dark brown hair, and the instantly recognizable dark amber eyes assured her that this was her friend. "I really believe you now, Ash," Misty said shakily. 

"So do I," Ash whispered. "Now I'm sure." 

Misty even found herself vaguely jealous of Ash. Though she was a year older, she couldn't compete with Ash's twelve-year-old figure. _He's--she's--gonna be a knockout someday..._ she thought distractedly. Shaking herself out of her stupor, Misty picked up the muddy clothing on the floor, trying to keep most of the wet and mud off of herself. "Get yourself in the shower and start scrubbing. I'll have Brock take these to the laundry room down the hall," Misty said, leaving Ash standing alone in the bathroom. 

Ash still stared, alternately at the mirror and herself. She was in a new state of shock as she gazed at the final, unalterable proof. The stranger in the mirror was, by modern standards, a beautiful preteen girl, but Ash had a difficult time reconciling the face in the mirror as her own. _Gosh, that's...me? And I've never even seen a naked girl before! Why did this have to happen now?_

Ash slowly awoke from her stupefied stare, then realized that Misty had gone with the laundry and that she was supposed to be showering. The water was sufficiently heated, so she stepped in, feeling a faint, barely discernible tingle that seemed strangely familiar before the hot water stung in her cuts, making her grit her teeth. Closing her eyes, she put her face under the hot water and tried to settle her churning mind. 

Misty came back in the door. "Ash, Brock's taking care of the laundry. You can borrow the hotel robe until he's--_eep!_" 

The shriek jerked Ash around, looking blankly at her through the open shower curtain. "Hm?" 

Misty stammered and pointed at her, unable to speak. 

Ash blinked and looked down at herself, then suddenly realized that _she_ was a _he_ again. "_Yaagh!_" Ash yelled, grabbing for the shower curtain and pulling it shut on himself. "Jeeze, Misty! Don't have a fit!" he said loudly, relishing the sound of his boyish voice. 

"Ash! You're--you're--you're a--" 

"I know, I know!" Ash replied, sticking his head tentatively out of the curtain to see Misty's blushing face. He reddened as well, realizing what she'd seen. 

"But...how? What happened?" Misty asked. 

Ash looked puzzled. "I dunno. Maybe the spell just wore off or somethin'. I'm not sure." 

"Gosh." 

"Yeah--but isn't it great?" Ash grinned mischiviously. "I'm a boy again! I can go ahead and battle Gary no problem!" 

Misty smiled. "I'm glad you're back to normal, Ash. I was getting worried; you seemed so depressed." 

"I was, but...now I'm okay." 

They looked at each other for another few moments. 

"Well, I guess I'll let you finish showering," Misty said hesitantly, turning to leave. 

"Uh, Misty?" Ash called suddenly. 

"Yeah?" 

"Thanks. For helping me this morning, I mean." 

"No problem." 

Misty shut the door, and Ash returned to his shower. But now, he was whistling happily as he scrubbed, no longer afraid to face the coming battle. 

* * * * * 

As it happened, the rumor about the Pokemon battle at noon had spread like wildfire through the town, and a crowd had developed at Furinkan High School, complete with loudspeaker set-up, bleachers ready, and the Cat Cafe catering the event. Brock, Misty, and Ash with Pikachu walked through the crowds of gathered people, amazed at the turnout. 

"Gee, I've never seen so many people from one place all just for a Pokemon battle," Misty observed. 

"It's the first major Pokemon battle in Nerima," Ash said. "Everybody in town wants to see it." The young trainer was fairly bouncing with excitement, both at being _him_self again, and at being a part of another Pokemon event. 

"Hey, look, there's Gary!" Brock said. 

Ash's face immediately darkened. 

"Hi, Ash and Company," Gary said condescendingly, smirking as usual. "Ready to get creamed?" 

"Pika-_chu!_" spat the electric Pokemon from Ash's shoulders. 

"You wish!" Ash shot back. "I can whip you any day!" 

"We'll see." Gary grinned slyly and sauntered away. 

"That was weird," Brock said. 

"Yeah. Usually he stays around to boast more," Ash observed. "Maybe he's actually worried I'll win." 

"Nah," said his two companions, earning an exhasperated glare from him. 

* * * * * 

Ranma wandered through the crowd, feeling just as helpless as he'd felt trying to look for the boy with the yellow Pokemon around town. His luck so far had been rotten; no one had seen a boy--or girl--with a yellow Pokemon. 

"This's hopeless," Ranma murmured to himself. "Having such a jinx on my life don't help, either." 

The louspeaker suddenly crackled to life. "Good day, Nerima!" came an anonymous voice. "Welcome to the first Nerima Pokemon battle ever! Our thanks go to Furinkan High for the use of their outdoor basketball court. If the audience will begin to file to the grandstands, we can begin. Trainers to the ring, please!" 

_Pokemon trainers--that's it!_ Realizing his best chance of finding the boy was in the front row, Ranma hustled over to the basketball court, taking a shortcut by leaping the eight-foot fence. Skidding to a halt ringside, he spotted a young boy standing in the ring, a furry yellow creature beside him. 

_That's him! Oh, man, he's right there an' I can't get to him..._ Ranma gritted his teeth, then sat down on the bench next to a young redhead and a tall brown-haired boy about his own age. 

* * * 

  
_AN: Oooo, can we all feel the tension? I hope everyone's still holding on. The action will pick up, I promise._


	5. Battle and Shame

Pokemon In Nerima Part 5 ((LEGAL STUFF: Ash Ketchum, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, etc., are all property of whoever owns the Pokemon franchise including Nintendo, Game Boy, and the anime/cartoon version (it's such a large collective I'm not sure who owns what). I don't intend to infringe on anybody's rights, and I'm not getting any money out of this. Ranma Saotome, Akane Tendo, Mousse, Shampoo, and the other Ranma 1/2 characters are property of Rumiko Takahashi (hope I spelled that right). Again, this story is for reader enjoyment only. No profit is being made. Thank you, have a nice day...)) 

  
**Pokemon In Nerima**   
_by Becky Tailweaver_

**Part 5: Battle and Shame**

Ash Ketchum stood ready at one end of the basketball court, his semi-friendly nemesis at the other. The court was a little small for a battle ring, but it would do for this one. _It'll be short, anyway,_ Ash thought smugly. 

"You can choose first, Ash!" called Gary Oak from the other side. "Be easy on me!" 

His sarcasm was not lost on Ash, who was aggravated by Gary's superior attitude. "You'll regret that, Oak!" he yelled out. He turned to look at Pikachu, who was sitting by his side. "Sorry, Pikachu, but I'm not going to use you this time." 

"Pika?" Pikachu cocked his head quizzically. 

"You're electric, and if I choose you Gary might pick a rock Pokemon. I don't want you to get in a bad fight with a rock Pokemon until we train with Brock more." 

"Chu..." 

"Go sit with Misty until it's over, pal," Ash said. When Pikachu darted off, Ash reached for a particular Pokeball. He hurled it to the ring with experienced dexterity. "Bulbasaur, I choose you!" 

"Bulbasaaaaur!" The little plant-dino leaped forward, standing ready to attack. 

Gary smirked. "Is that it? One little Bulbasaur is all you've got? Wait'll you see this!" The older trainer pulled out a Pokeball. "Wartortle, go!" 

"Warrr-tortle!" the big water Pokemon growled menacingly. 

"A Wartortle?" Ash whispered. "I didn't know his Squirtle had evolved! Still, why would he use a water Pokemon against a plant one? Makes no sense. Maybe he's just showing off..." 

"Contenstants ready!" the announcer boomed. "Begin!" 

"Wartortle, tackle attack!" Gary ordered. The big turtle Pokemon dashed forward, trying to collide with Bulbasaur. 

"Bulbasaur, dodge him!" Ash yelled. Bulbasaur jumped aside, and the Wartortle skidded right past him. "Vine whips, now! Trip him up!" 

Bulbasaur extended his vines, wrapping the Wartortle's legs and sending it crashing to the ground. "Saaaur!" Bulbasaur crowed, withdrawing the vines. 

"Waaaar. War-tor-_tul!_" the Wartortle retorted, withdrawing to prepare another attack. 

"Bulbasaur, use your vine whips again! Knock him over!" Ash shouted quickly. 

Bulbasaur's vines extended again, whipping out at the Wartortle. The Wartortle ducked instinctively, the vines whistling over its head, just grazing the shell. 

"Wartortle, grab those whips! Use the attack I taught you--Pull and Pound!" Gary bellowed. 

The Wartortle clamped a hard paw onto one of Bulbasaur's vines, yanking the little plant Pokemon off-balance and reeling him in. Then the Wartortle swung Bulbasaur back and forth and slammed him against the asphalt repeatedly. 

"Saur! Saaaaur!" 

Ash gritted his teeth. "Bulbasaur, use your other vine whip! Pull his legs together!" 

Weakly, Bulbasaur complied, entwining the Wartortle's legs for a second time and giving a yank with all his strength. The Wartortle crashed over again. 

"Bulbasaur, you alright?" Ash called, worried. 

"Bulba_saur!_" The plant-dino shakily got to his feet, then nodded, ready for more. But Ash was a little less convinced. 

"Bulbasaur, do you need to return? We can go to second pick!" 

"_Saur!_ Bulba-saur!" Bulbasaur shook his little head emphatically. 

Gary grimaced as his own Pokemon recovered enough to attack again. "Wartortle, water blast! Now!" 

"Waaaar!" The Wartortle took a deep breath, then let loose with a torrent of water from its mouth. 

"Bulbasaur, look out!" 

Bulbasaur nearly collapsed trying to move, but dove aside just in time. Ash, however, had been standing behind him. The pressurized jet of cold water struck the young trainer head-on, throwing him back against the impromptu sidewalls of the ring with a yell that rose in pitch abruptly. 

"Wartortle, stop! _Now!_" Gary ordered. As much as he disliked Ash, he realized the danger of a human getting hit with a Pokemon attack. The Wartortle obediently cut off its water blast, and Gary rushed over toward Ash. 

Ash groaned, flat on his back in a puddle of water, his hat lying several feet away. Opening his eyes, he saw Bulbasaur standing protectively over him. "You...okay...pal?" 

"Saur," Bulbasaur replied shakily. "Bul-ba?" 

"I'm okay, I think," Ash said, half to himself. Then he realized Gary was standing over him, mouth open. Ash's tone rose in anger. "What'sa matter with you, Oak? You mad your Wartortle has such bad aim?" 

"A-Ash?" Gary's mouth worked oddly. 

"Jeeze, Gary, get a grip! I'm still...alive..." It was then that Ash realized that his voice--no, make that _her_ voice--had returned to its girlish timbre. "Oh, no..." Ash looked down at herself, hat gone, in sopping wet clothes that were plastered against every curve... 

"Ash--you're a girl?" Gary asked incredulously. "You're really a girl?" His voice took on a triumphant ring. "And all this time I thought you were such a tough guy! You were just a little girl! What's your real name, huh? _Ashley?_" 

Ash leaped to her feet, quivering in anger. "Don't say that! Don't _ever_ say that! You don't know what you're talking about! You don't know what I've _been_ through!" 

"Yeah, a lot," Gary mocked. "A little woman trying to make her way in a man's world!" 

Ash was about to retort when she realized that the entire audience was watching, enthralled and amazed. She saw the shocked expressions of the crowd; saw Misty's angry, saddened, surprised face. Knowing that her embarrassing situation was now public knowlege, she shrank away. 

"Hey, little lady, wanna keep on battling?" Gary mocked. "Maybe I'll go easy on you, since you're just a girl." 

Ash gritted her teeth to keep the tears back, but to no avail. She gave a wordless cry of anguish and humiliation and fled, stumbling over the ring wall and dashing away from the school, leaving Gary laughing behind her. 

The audience immediately began to mill about, wondering what on earth had just happened. In the commotion that followed Ash's departure, no one noticed the tall, black-haired teenage boy pick up the discarded baseball cap and head off after her. 

* * * * * 

Brock stepped back uneasily; Misty had murder in her eyes. 

"Ooooh! That Gary!" the redhead growled, clutching Pikachu to her chest. She was livid with anger, her blue eyes snapping with fire. "If this wasn't a Pokemon battle I'd--I'd--I'd...go out there and punch Gary in the nose!" 

"Easy, Misty, I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it..." Brock tried unsucessfully to calm her. 

"Didn't mean anything?" Misty nearly screeched. "Didn't _mean_ anything? Didn't you hear what he said to Ash? Didn't you see how Gary hurt him?" 

Brock stood speechless. Pikachu moaned softly but didn't seem to want to escape. 

"I've got to go find him." Misty scanned the area in the direction of Ash's escape route. "I've got to go after him..." 

"Excuse me," said a soft yet familiar voice. 

"Mousse!" Both Brock and Misty jumped around. 

Mousse, the boy from the Cat Cafe, stood solemnly before them. "I'm sorry, but I think it best that you two don't go after your friend. I've sent a...an aquaintance of mine to go and talk to him. He's someone who knows what your friend is going through and should be able to help her...uh, him." 

"_Who?_" Misty demanded. "Who on earth could possibly understand what's happened to Ash?" 

"Ranma," said Mousse, a strange mixture of respect and dislike in his voice. "Ranma Saotome." 

* * * 


	6. Understanding and Courage

Pokemon In Nerima Part 6 ((LEGAL STUFF: Ash Ketchum, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, etc., are all property of whoever owns the Pokemon franchise including Nintendo, Game Boy, and the anime/cartoon version (it's such a large collective I'm not sure who owns what). I don't intend to infringe on anybody's rights, and I'm not getting any money out of this. Ranma Saotome, Akane Tendo, Mousse, Shampoo, and the other Ranma 1/2 characters are property of Rumiko Takahashi (hope I spelled that right). Again, this story is for reader enjoyment only. No profit is being made. Thank you, have a nice day...)) 

  
**Pokemon In Nerima**   
_by Becky Tailweaver_

**Part 6: Understanding and Courage**

Ash found solace once again in Nerima Park, this time at the side of the duck pond. She sat on the earthen bank near the water, hidden from view of the path by some bushy hedgeplants, knees drawn up, crying into her folded arms. There seemed to be no escape from the thick sorrow and gut-wrenching humiliation she felt after having been subjected to Gary's mockery. 

When her tears began to subside, there was suddenly a definite _presence_ beside her, and she started a little. Looking around, she saw standing not six feet away a tall teenaged boy with unruly jet black hair, most of which was tied back in a braided pigtail. He wore loose black pants and a red silk Chinese-style sleeveless shirt. He was standing loosely, almost hipshot, with a silent confidence surrounding him, his air of unhurried self-assurance giving the impression that he'd just been standing there for no particular reason. 

Ash wiped her face with the back of one hand. "What do you want?" 

"Nothin'," the stranger replied easily, not looking directly at her but instead somewhere out on the pond, his voice a youthful, rough tenor. 

"Then just go away," Ash said lowly. 

"It's a public park, ya know. I got the right to be here, same as anyone else," the teenager retorted, coming nearer to sit about two feet away; a close yet nonthreatening distance. He sat silently for a long time, sensing the youngster beside him fidget, still just staring out at the pond. Still without looking at her, he held out the object he'd had in his other hand. "You left this." 

Ash tentatively reached out and plucked her hat from his grip, clutching it close and remaining silent. With a soft sniffle, she watched him out of the corner of her eye, put more at ease by the dark-haired youth's rough, easy speech and quiet, purposeful manner. He didn't seem the mocking, insensitive type. 

The stranger cleared his throat. "I, uh, was at the Pokemon battle earlier. I saw what happened." 

Ash's head jerked up, staring at the older boy in horror. "You mean...?" 

"Yeah. I know." 

Ash gritted her teeth, prepared for an onslaught, but the stranger suddenly turned to her with a warm, open smile and an offered hand. 

"Hi! My name's Ranma. Ranma Saotome." 

"Uh, I'm Ash Ketchum," the young trainer responded hesitantly, shaking the hand. She was struck the first time she saw his eyes; clear, kind eyes, deep beautiful blue, open and friendly. No malice, no mockery, no accusation, no threats...just a person. A friendly, caring person. 

"So..." Ranma leaned back on his hands with a sigh. "You're sittin' out here missin' your Pokemon battle, cryin' and scarin' the ducks--and your excuse is...?" 

Ash stared at him. Could her first reading of the older boy have been so wrong? Was he really just another Gary? "What do you mean?" she queried, voice rising. "You said you saw what happened! I'm a _girl!_ Everybody saw--_Gary_ saw--they're all _laughing_ at me! Ash Ketchum, Pokemon trainer--a _girl!_" 

"So? What's that gotta do with anything?" 

"_Everything!_" Ash nearly screeched. "Everything I am--everything I was--_everything_ that _matters!_ And Misty--she's a--and I'm--I can't--! And Gary--! Didn't you hear what he _said?_" 

Ranma was wearing a gentle smile throughout the young trainer's spluttering, disjointed tirade. "If I understood whatcha just said, you're upset 'cause you feel like your identity's been changed, like you aren't who ya used to be. You're upset because there's a girl you like, and now that _you're_ a girl ya think she's not gonna be able to like you back the way you want her to. You're upset because a bully called what he saw an' poked your weak spot--the change. That 'bout sum it up?" 

Ash nodded, stuttering. "But...the part about the girl--I mean, she's just a friend, y'know, a-and..." 

Ranma shrugged and held up a hand to stop her. "I understand, you know. Everything." 

"Really." Ash gave a derisive snort. "You couldn't possibly understand how horrible this is." 

"Don't tell me what I don't understand, kid," Ranma shot back, his voice suddenly much harder, his face abruptly tightened in anger. "Don't you _dare_ tell me I don't understand." 

"How would you know?" Ash demanded. She shied away from his ire but her voice remained high, hot, and loud. "You weren't hit by some zany magic spell that took away everything that you were and made you something else! You don't have to deal with jerks like Gary calling you girly or having your best friend stare at you like you're some--some _object!_ You aren't made to get stuck as something you're not!" 

Ranma was nearly nose to nose with her, his voice low and firm as he spoke slowly, deliberately, and clearly. "_Yes_..._I_..._am._" 

Ash drew back, eyes widening. "No...nobody's..." 

Ranma rolled his eyes with a weary sigh. "Guess I'm gonna hafta show you..." He rose and walked to the pond, Ash right behind, then squatted at the edge and traced a finger in the water. "Don't take your eyes offa me," he warned wryly. "Don't even blink--just watch." He took a great handful of cold pond water and splashed himself with it, soaking his head and shoulders. 

At first Ash thought that nothing had happened, but then noticed that Ranma's pigtailed hair had shifted from obsidian black to a red so deep and bright it outmatched even Misty's blazing color. Then Ranma rose and turned, and Ash gasped and stumbled back in shock. 

A beautiful red-haired girl stood before her, looking sixteen or seventeen, petite and buxom with alabaster skin and supple form, about the same height as Misty. She had a sort of cheeky charm about her, an almost tomboyish air of silent confidence, a purposeful manner... Ash looked into her deep, beautiful blue eyes...and got it. 

"Kinda shocking, ain't it?" the redhead asked, her tone and inflection amazingly familiar. 

"R--_Ranma?_" Ash could only stare. "You...you..._shrunk!_" 

The female Ranma grinned, plucking at her now-baggy clothing as she readjusted her belt to keep her pants up. "Yeah; I've noticed that before." She now stood only a little taller than Ash, fine-boned and slim, yet much more well-curved and filled-out; more mature than Ash. 

Ash had a hard time reconciling the tall, strong, dark-haired Ranma with the petite, impudent-looking redhead standing before her now. "How did you do that?" she asked. "Was it the pond? The water?" 

"Alla the above," girl-Ranma replied, laughing at Ash's gaping expression. She sat on the grass and gestured for Ash to do the same. When Ash was seated, Ranma turned serious. "D'ya feel okay talkin' to me this way?" she asked directly. "If you're uncomfortable talkin' ta me as a girl I can understand--a lotta boys are--" 

Ash was keeping a kind of unconscious distance, suspicion clouding her features. "What are you really? Boy or girl?" 

Ranma smiled. "A guy, same as you. That's what I was born as." 

"Then...I'm okay with it. I think." 

Ranma shrugged. "The body I got right now's what I'd look like if I'da been born a girl. But the fact is the body don't change the mind. I'm still Ranma Saotome, man of martial arts." 

"So...how did you do it?" Ash wanted to know right away. "Is it permanent?" 

"Yes," Ranma replied, leaning back on her elbows. "It's a curse of Jusenkyo. It's an 'aqua-shifting' curse--I think that's what Doc Tofu called it... Anyway, the gist is this: When you get hit with room temperature or colder water, ya shift to your cursed form. When you get hit with warm to hot water, you turn back to yourself. It's that simple." 

"So that's what happened when I got in the shower!" Ash breathed, things beginning to fall into place. 

"What?" 

Ash hurriedly explained the events of the previous day, from the encounter with the bottle of ice-cold liquid--now known to be the catalyst--to the shower incident of that morning. By the end of the tale, Ranma was laughing in understanding. 

"That's the story of my life," she chuckled. "One misunderstandin' after another. Seems your friends are a little more forgiving than mine." 

"Not now," Ash said, her enthusiasm in telling the tale suddenly dampened as she remembered that they were still waiting back at the high school. 

"Aw, c'mon. You can't let stuff like that get to you. If I got this upset over every little thing that happened to _me_, I'd be insane," Ranma said, chucking her on the chin. "Scratch that--I'd prob'ly be dead. My life's hell right now." 

"How--?" 

"You don't wanna know, and I'm not gonna tell ya," Ranma said with a shake of her head. She certainly wasn't going to spend the rest of the day telling this kid about all her fiancee problems--male and female--and about the rest of the crazed martial artists and other nasties that followed her about constantly. No need to burden a kid like this with that kind of tripe. 

"So...how long have you been, uh, cursed?" Ash asked, almost shyly. 

"Mmm..." Ranma sat back to think. "'Bout a year, now, I guess. Huh. Didn't stop to think about it before now. Wow...I've been spendin' half-time as a girl for almost a year..." 

"A year," Ash breathed. _And here I was complaining about two whole days!_ "How do you live with it?" 

Ranma's expression turned slightly painful, somthing quickly covered by a careless grin. "You adjust. You learn to avoid wet situations. You swallow your pride and get over yourself if ya get wet anyway. You learn how to turn guys down--hard n' fast." 

Ash gulped. "I'll learn that one quick." 

"You're a little young for that...and you don't have to," Ranma said, sitting up straight as if recalling something. "I almost forgot to tell you--your curse is diff'rent than mine." 

"What?" 

"You'll only have to live with this fer a little while," Ranma replied, smiling. "What I fell into was the real deal--right'n the middle of Jusenkyo Valley. You got hit with some Suspended spring water. That only lasts for a short time. Three weeks, tops. Maybe shorter; it varies depending on the person." 

"Are you sure?" 

Ranma chuckled. "I got it straight from the duck's mouth." 

Ash didn't have a clue what that meant, but nodded anyway. "I'm glad. But...three weeks..." 

"I'm jealous," Ranma said, serious. "I hafta live with this for the rest of my life. Unless by some chance Jusenkyo wears off too, or if I can find a cure someday. So far it ain't happened...but I stay hopeful." 

"I wish you luck." 

"Thanks." 

For long minutes they just sat there by the pond, watching the ducks. For a few minutes they were brothers, sisters, kindred--made thus by identical curses and a brief mutual understanding. Then the spell was broken when Ranma turned to Ash with a grin. 

"Hey, kid, you got a battle to win, don'tcha?" 

"Me? Now? _Like this?_" 

"Why not?" Ranma said with a shrug. "You gotta get used to it anyway. You would not _believe_ what effect it has on guys--fighting like this, I mean. They usually lose." 

"But...but Gary--" 

"But Gary what?" Ranma suddenly laughed mischiveously, but it came out as an almost girlish giggle. "Y'know, if he bothers you, you can always yell at him to stop flirting with you." 

"_Urk!_" Ash turned decidedly green. "But...that'd mean I'd have to..." 

"It's like admitting you're a girl, I know--but how d'ya think it'll make him feel? He'll shut up real fast--I promise you that." 

"Uh..." 

"Well, I can't sit 'round chewin' the fat all day, kid. Got stuff to do...an uncute fiancee to report to before she comes lookin' for me..." 

"What?" 

"Nothin'." Ranma shrugged. "I'll walk you back to the high school, if you want." 

Ash stood up with Ranma. "But...I'm still not sure..." 

"Look, I'll go like this, too. It's not like there's anywhere to get hot water between here and the school," Ranma said. She put an understanding hand on Ash's shoulder. "I know it's rough, but you'll get through it. You're tough. Y'know, you remind me of me at that age." She chucked Ash's chin again. "You're a real scrappy kid. I'd hate for you to lose your fire because of a little magic mayhem in your life. You're still Ash Ketchum--and you've got a date with destiny!" 

Ash took a deep breath and stood a little straighter. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm a Pokemon trainer..." 

"You bet you are." 

"...and I've got a battle to fight..." 

"Go get 'em, kid." 

"...and I'm gonna win!" With a renewed grin, Ash plunked her cap back on her head. 

"Yeah! That's the spirit I'm talkin' about!" Ranma cheered. "Confidence--it's the best thing in the world for poor saps like us. Never give up." 

"That's my motto!" 

With that, the two boys-turned-girls hurried up the bank side-by-side, heading back for the high school at a rapid pace. 

"Thanks, Ranma!" Ash said as she jogged. "I don't think I could've gotten over this myself." 

"Hey, it was nothin'. Oh, by the way, if you're hungry after the battle I know this really great okonomiyaki place..." 

* * * 


	7. Confrontation and Victory

Pokemon In Nerima Part 7 ((LEGAL STUFF: Ash Ketchum, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, etc., are all property of whoever owns the Pokemon franchise including Nintendo, Game Boy, and the anime/cartoon version (it's such a large collective I'm not sure who owns what). I don't intend to infringe on anybody's rights, and I'm not getting any money out of this. Ranma Saotome, Akane Tendo, Mousse, Shampoo, and the other Ranma 1/2 characters are property of Rumiko Takahashi (hope I spelled that right). Again, this story is for reader enjoyment only. No profit is being made. Thank you, have a nice day...)) 

  
**Pokemon In Nerima**   
_by Becky Tailweaver_

**Part 7: Confrontation and Victory**

Misty began to get very worried when Ash didn't show up after almost half an hour. Antsy, she stayed with Bulbasaur and Pikachu as Brock kept an eye out for their friend. Gary Oak, although still somewhat in shock, was prancing about patting himself on the back, making snide comments about Ash's "condition" and mocking the poor boy about hiding the fact that he was really a girl for so long. Several times Misty almost walked over to brain him with the nearest hard object she could find--she had Bulbasaur's empty Pokeball handy, and that was pretty solid. 

"I can't _believe_ that guy," Misty grumbled, glaring in Gary's direction. "He is so arrogant it's not even funny." 

"Wait 'till Ash comes back," Brock said smoothly, trying to calm the redhead's temper. 

Misty paused, sighing. "Do you think he _is_ coming back?" 

"He always does," Brock replied. "He won't let us down." 

"But this...thing he's going through..." She frowned, her face shadowed with sympathy. "It's not like anything else we've ever faced." 

With an understanding smile, Brock sat on the bench next to Misty and put a hand on her shoulder. "Misty, have faith in him. He'll be back soon, and he'll beat Gary like we all know he will. You know Ash--he will never, _ever_ fail." 

Misty smiled up at Brock. "I know." 

Pikachu perked up. "Pikapi!" 

"Bul-ba?" 

Suddenly, the crowd, which had been beginning to disperse, began to murmer excitedly, bringing the two Pokemon trainers' heads around. Mousse, who had been sitting nearby, suddenly stood up with an almost proud smile on his face. "He's back," the Chinese boy said. "They're both back." 

Misty almost shed tears of relief and joy to see Ash running through the crowd, heading straight for the makeshift arena. Her eyes were bright, and her face, though female, was the face of the Ash they'd always known. She was followed closely by a beautiful redheaded girl--a girl who made Misty's face turn thunderous. 

Ash hopped over the barrier into the basketball court, her smile almost a smirk. "Hey Gary, are you ready to face me?" 

Gary stood gaping in surprise for several seconds before blinking and coming back to life. "Ash? I can't believe you actually came back, you sissy." 

Bulbasaur bounded out to Ash's side, giving a fierce little snarl, eager to continue. Ash's face flashed annoyance at Gary's words, then returned to its usual confident cast. "Sissy, huh? Let's see what _you_ look like when you get beaten by a _girl!_" 

"Atta boy, Ash!" the redhead who'd come in with Ash cheered, waving her arms. "That's the way to tell 'im!" 

"Excuse me," Misty said testily, glaring at the blue-eyed older girl. "Who are you, and how do you know my friend?" 

The other paused, blinking. "Oh, right. You must be Misty--Ash told me 'bout you." 

Misty frowned. "And just _how--?_" 

The older girl smiled disarmingly, sticking out her hand. "Hiya. I'm Ranma Saotome." 

Misty's eyes nearly fell out of her head. "_You're--?_ But he said--!" 

"This is the same Ranma I was telling you about," Mousse said quietly as he came to stand beside the petite girl in Chinese clothing. "He and Ash share...a similar condition." 

"Ohhh..." The Water Pokemon trainer's expression turned contrite. "I'm sorry." 

"It's okay," Ranma replied with a shrug. "Easy mistake." 

"I...uh...perhaps..." Brock, watching Ash, had just noticed Ranma and began to stutter, his face going goofy as he stared at her. "Would you--_oof!_" 

Misty removed her elbow from Brock's stomach. "Lay off! She may be cute but she's really a guy, like Ash." 

Ranma raised an eyebrow at the humbled trainer, a cautious, sardonic smile on her face. "One of _those_ kinda guys, huh? Hands off, buddy boy. You can look, but you can't touch. You do, you die." 

"Eh...I'd rather not anyway," Brock replied, realizing his mistake and looking rather green. 

"Hey guys, look--it's starting!" Misty cried, nearly bouncing up and down. Ranma, Brock, and Mousse jockeyed for position ringside, while Pikachu solved his seating problems by leaping to Misty's shoulder. 

The announcer crackled to life again, at last announcing the recommencement of the match. "It appears our missing contender has returned! Trainers ready...and...let the match begin! Again..." 

Bulbasaur and Wartortle squared off one last time, their trainers ready behind them. Ash looked confident, Misty realized; a fire had returned to those amber-brown eyes that had been missing for almost two days. Somehow, the young Pokemon trainer had overcome the obstacle of mystical form-changing and returned even stronger than before. "_Goooo Ash!_" she cried over the crowd, offering encouragement with her voice. "You can beat him!" 

Ash heard Misty's shout, and her heart warmed. "Okay, Bulbasaur, are you ready?" 

"Bulba!" The little plant-dino looked back at him, a wide smile on his eager face. 

"Then let's take 'em down with a bang! Get ready for a Solar Beam!" 

Bulbasaur let out an acknowledging growl and began to gather power, its bulb starting to glow. 

Across the ring, Gary's eyes widened. "Uh-oh--Wartortle, get ready. They're preparing for a Solar Beam attack. Knock that Bulbasaur over with a Tackle! We can take him out before he fires!" 

Gary's Wartortle reared up, beak snapping, and charged toward Bulbasaur full-bore. "_Look out!_" cried Ash, startled at Gary's bold move. "Bulbasaur, you've gotta dodge him!" 

It took a monumental effort to both muster the energy to leap aside _and_ to maintain the gathering of solar power, but somehow Bulbasaur did it. Waiting until the last second, he jumped out of the way of the charging Wartortle, missing the attack by a millimeter. Wartortle barrelled past, frantically trying to correct its error but skidding on the wet pavement that still remained from its previous attack. It managed to claw its way to a halt and turn to face its opponent, but by that time Bulbasaur had finished charging his bulb and was prepared to fire. 

"That's it, Bulbasaur--let him have it!" Ash ordered quickly. 

"_Bulba**saaaaauuuurrr!**_" 

The little dino let go with a light blast that half-blinded the audience. Wartortle frantically launched a Water Blast to counter, but the beam met the blast head-on and drove it back. The column of brilliant energy crashed into the unsteady Wartortle, knocking it backwards and slamming it into the barricade, almost breaking the makeshift ring walls. By the time the beam petered out, Wartortle was struggling to regain its feet, but its feeble attempts were unsuccessful. The Water Pokemon was effectively beaten. 

"Well, folks, that's a wrap!" the announcer blared, sounding glad to finally end the strange match. "Ash Ketchum and Bulbasaur are officially the winners by a knockout!" 

The crowd burst into applause, and Ash leaped upwards, fisted hands raised in jubulation. "Yes! _Yes!_ We won! We beat him, Bulbasaur! All _right!_" 

"Bul-ba!" the small plant-dino agreed heartily. 

"Yeah, Ash, you did it!" Misty cheered, as Ranma hollered beside her, equally rejoicing. 

In all the commotion, no one noticed the flimsy hot-air balloon that drifted downward over the little would-be stadium, nor did they see the cable net that enshrouded the weakened Wartortle, trapping it. Not one person noticed until the poor Pokemon was ten feet in the air, captive in the net, and the two figures in the balloon began a silly sing-song slogan. 

However, they didn't get through even the first two lines before an irate female voice broke into their "song" from below. 

"Hey, you mooks!" Ranma yelled, shaking a fist at the balloon. "This is a man-to-man fight! Keep yer noses out of it!" 

"Team Rocket," Misty and Ash grumbled in unison, both annoyed, as Gary began running about and yelling about his stolen Pokemon. 

"What timing..." Brock groaned. 

"What a rude interruption," the red-haired young woman in the balloon basket said haughtily. 

"These kids don't know who they're dealing with," said the young man. 

Ranma stared incredulously at the balloonists. "You guys know these yahoos?" she asked of Ash and Misty, puzzled. 

"You bet we do," Misty replied. "They're Jessie and James from Team Rocket. They're Pokemon thieves." 

"Oh, really," Ranma said, something eager creeping into her voice. "Then I suppose you don't mind if I make their day a little harder, do you?" 

"Not at all," replied Brock, Misty, and Ash. 

"Pikachupi," said Pikachu solemnly, shaking his yellow-furred head. 

Ranma cracked her knuckles with a feral grin. "Okay. I'll get that idiot's turtle back for him." Still grinning, she strode to the center of the ring and pointed up at the balloon. "Hey, you up there! You'd better give that Pokemon back right now!" 

Jessie and James smirked down at the petite, harmless-looking girl glaring up at them. "Or you'll what? Ooooh, Jessie, she's scaring me!" James said, pretending to be afraid. 

Disdainfully, Jessie leaned over the side of the basket. "Go away, shoo, stupid little girl. You obviously have _no_ idea who you're dealing with. We're from the legendary Team Rocket. Even if you've never heard of us, you country munchkin, you should still stay out of our way." 

By now, Ranma was shaking with indignation. "Stupid....little...country..._munchkin_..._?_" Her teeth gritted. "Grrrrrr..." 

Mousse adjusted his glasses. "Oh my, I think they've just made him angry." 

Ranma glared at the balloonists. "Ash, toss me that ball," she said shortly. 

"Huh? Oh!" Quickly, Ash snatched Bulbasaur's empty Pokeball from Misty's grasp and lobbed it in Ranma's direction. The boy-turned-girl caught it without even turning around. 

By now, James was the one leaning out of the basket as the balloon rose. "Yeah, buzz off, cutie! You'd have to get up a lot earlier to foil Jessie and James of Team--_ouch!_" 

Without missing a beat, Ranma had hauled back and let the baseball-sized Pokeball fly. It bounced with and audible _whock!_ off of James' head and struck the control valve that fed heated air to the balloon above. The valve popped, and the balloon began to lose altitude. 

"_Cutie_, huh?" Ranma raged at the pair. "I'll show you _cute!_" 

As James rubbed his head, Jessie screeched in indignation. "Why you little harridan! James, get her! Arbok, go!" 

"Go Weezing..." James groaned painfully, also releasing his Pokemon. 

The two purple Pokemon dove at the young martial artist. But instead of ducking as any sensible human being would, Ranma in fact _grinned_ at this development. Taking a single running stride, she launched herself into the air, meeting the threat head-on. A flying kick knocked Weezing spinning off like a lopsided beach ball, while a solid uppercut put Arbok out of commission. 

Ranma managed all of this while at the same time leaping up to the net that held the injured Wartortle. Hanging on the tough fibers of the net, Ranma peered in at the semi-conscious creature. "Take it easy, fella, I'll get ya outta here," she said soothingly, beginning to tear at the net's coils. She easily ripped a hole in the side of the net and hefted the blue Pokemon out. "Comin' down!" Ranma announced, letting go of the net. 

The audience gasped--after all, Ranma was still some twenty feet off the ground. However, the young redhead landed with easy grace as if she'd just hopped down from less than a yard, carefully cradling the Wartortle she'd rescued. Gary, near to panicking, ran up to fetch his Pokemon. 

"Here ya go, kid, safe an' sound," Ranma said, handing the wounded Wartortle to his rightful owner--just in time to be swamped by Ash and her friends. 

"Wow, Ranma, that was amazing!" Ash exclaimed, clapping the martial artist on the back. "Man, if I could do that we wouldn't have so much trouble with them all the time!" 

"You were so cool!" Misty gushed, amazed at the feat. 

Ranma smiled and pointed upwards. "I think there's just a few more things to do to wrap this up, guys." 

Above them, Team Rocket's balloon was running out of steam. It gently floated down and collapsed in the arena, burying its occupants in yards of silk. 

"Oh, dear, I believe we've crashed," James observed from beneath the fabric. 

"If that was a crash, it was certainly the least painful one we've ever endured," Jessie replied, sounding puzzled. 

"Pain?" Ranma said, cracking her knuckles again as she advanced. "You ain't felt _nothin'_ yet." 

"Oh yeah?" demanded a higher, squealy voice as one of the figures struggled out of the balloon. "Come on, tough girl, take Meowth on!" 

Ranma stared down at the diminutive figure that had clawed its way free of the balloon material. The sandy-furrred, catlike Pokemon was glaring up at her, claws extended. 

"That's right, I'm talking to you, Red!" Meowth challenged. "Put 'em up! _Meeeeowth!_" 

Ash and Misty watched in surprise as Ranma went completely rigid. 

"This could be a problem..." Mousse muttered, managing to focus his glasses on the Pokemon Ranma faced. 

"C-c-c-cat...!" Ranma hissed, eyes as large as Pokeballs. "T-t-talking c-c-c-c-cat!" 

"Come on--are you chicken?" Meowth demanded, fisted paws up and ready to fight. 

All of Ranma's prowess seemed to melt away in a second. "C-c-c-c-_caaaaat!_" she squealed, panicking. She turned and ran, leaving Ash, Misty, Meowth and all the rest in blank astonishment. 

Seizing their chance, Jessie fired a smoke grenade at the crowd, scattering the milling people like stampeding cattle as the fake bomb let off flashes and smoke. "That will get those silly peons out of the way," she smirked. "Now, Arbok, get that Wartortle!" 

Frightened, Gary found himself cornered by Arbok and Weezing, unable to escape with the heavy weight of the Pokemon in his arms. His hands weren't free to fetch his Pokeball and return his Wartortle to safety. "Somebody help me!" he shouted. 

"I'll get you out of there, Gary!" Ash called back, signalling Pikachu--but the electric mouse couldn't use the Thundershock with them so close to Gary and the Wartortle, and Meowth was standing between Ash and her target. 

"Cat-cat-cat-cat...!" Ranma screeched, running for the bleachers. 

Ash snagged the martial artist on the way by, keeping hold and trying not to be dragged along with her. "Ranma, get ahold of yourself! What's the matter with you!" 

Misty and Brock joined the restraint effort. Mousse stepped in front of Ranma, seeing the terrified look on her face. "I'm afraid he can't face that Pokemon," the Chinese fighter informed them. "Ranma is phobic of cats." 

"Aw, man! Come on, snap out of it!" Ash tightened her grip, shaking Ranma hard enough to rattle the other's teeth--even though they were already chattering in fear. Finally, Ash managed to get Ranma to focus on her. 

"L-l-lemme go!" 

"No! You told me to face what I'm afraid of!" Ash accused. "And now you're running off like a sissy _girl!_ Pull yourself together, Ranma!" 

"B-b-but it's a _c-c-c-cat...!_" 

"That's okay. Pikachu and I can take care of Meowth. Can you get Gary and Wartortle out of harm's way?" 

Ranma calmed slightly, looking over her shoulder to take in the situation. "C-can you keep that c-c-cat away from me?" 

"Pika, kachu!" Pikachu replied from near Ranma's leg, smiling reassuringly. "Pika pika pikachu!" 

"He means 'yes,'" Ash explained. "If it helps, think of it this way--Meowth's not really a cat, it's a Pokemon. Come on, we gotta hurry!" 

"Hot water..." Ranma whispered. "I wish I had hot water..." 

A sudden steamy sizzle and two yelps signaled Mousse's timely intervention. Ash found herself back to _him_self again, and Ranma was suddenly almost a head taller than _she_ had been before--and much too strong to be restrained. Misty dropped her grip in embarassment, blushing furiously at how tightly she'd been holding on to the very _handsome_ dark-haired young man that Ranma Saotome really was. 

"Mousse!" Ranma exclaimed in surprise, seeing the Chinese boy putting the lid back on his thermos and tucking back in his robes. 

"Oh, come on, Saotome. You don't think I leave home unprepared, do you?" 

"Sometimes I wonder..." Ranma muttered, then turned back to Ash. "Okay, sport, now that we're both at our best, can you keep that lousy c-c-c...Meowth offa me?" 

"You bet!" 

"Pika-chu!" 

"Let's go!" Ranma sent Ash ahead, where he and Pikachu intercepted Meowth's attempt to get at Ranma. Whiskers crackling, Pikachu engaged Meowth in a furious Quick Attack battle. Gulping a little, Ranma gathered his nerve-- "...not really a cat, not really a cat..." --and circumvented the fight, heading straight for the four figures closing in on Gary and the Wartortle. 

"We've got you now," James crowed, advancing. 

"You'll never take my Wartortle! Back off, you creeps!" Gary threatened. 

Jessie smirked. "Arbok, take care of this nuisance." 

The giant snake Pokemon spread its hood and hissed. "Chaaaar-bok!" 

All were surprised when Arbok was suddenly yanked backwards by the tail, its lethal fangs and crushing coils dragged away from Gary and his burden. Ranma swung the Poison Pokemon by the tail, its head colliding painfully with the pole of the court's basketball hoop. Weezing turned to defend its partner, but Ranma swung the senseless snake Pokemon the _other_ way, using it as a bat, knocking both Arbok and Weezing high into the air. 

"Oh no, what a tragedy!" Jessie cried, clinging to James. 

"We're doomed for sure!" James sobbed, hugging Jessie. 

The teenage martial artist laughed, and _moved_. In less than a second, Jessie and James joined their Pokemon in a high orbit above the city, courtesy of Air Ranma. 

"Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they wailed as they flew. No one paid them any attention, as flying bodies are common enough in Nerima. 

"_Pi-ka-**chuuuuuu!**_" 

Ranma started as a flash of light and thunder shook the ground behind him, and with a screeching cry of "_Meeeeeoooowwth!_" the catlike Pokemon followed its partners-in-crime. Ranma turned to see Pikachu standing over a minor crater in the basketball court, its whiskers fizzing with golden energy. 

"Whoa, little guy, that's some hefty voltage you got," he complimented the little creature, coming over to pat the electric mouse on the head. 

"Kachu!" The yellow Pokemon smiled up at Ranma, liking the youth's rough, friendly manner. "Pika!" 

"We did it!" Ash laughed, running up to lift Pikachu above his head. "_Wahooo!_" 

Ranma laughed at Ash's enthusiasm, even as Misty, Brock, and Mousse came over to add their congratulations. 

"Ash Ketchum!" 

The impromptu celebration came to a halt as Gary stumbled over to them, cradling the Pokeball that now held his resting Wartortle. "Who...who is this..._person?_" he demanded, pointing straight at Ranma. "I _saw_ him...her...turn into a _man!_ And _you_--you're different too!" 

Ash grinned embarassedly, fiddling with the brim of his cap. "Well, your eyes aren't deceiving you, Gary. I really was a girl there for a while. But I'm not, _really_. Honest." 

Gary's eyes narrowed. "What's going on here?" 

Ranma shook his head in amused resignation. "I guess I can explain that one, kid. It's like this: There are these springs in China, see? And each one has this curse..." 

* * * 

  
_AN: Wheee!! The battle's over. Well, everybody, what didja think of that? Not too bad, was it? (ducks more thrown vegetables) Okay, okay, I'm really sorry I made you sit thru that! But at least I tried... _


	8. Epilogue - Friendship and Goodbye

Pokemon In Nerima Epilogue ((LEGAL STUFF: Ash Ketchum, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, etc., are all property of whoever owns the Pokemon franchise including Nintendo, Game Boy, and the anime/cartoon version (it's such a large collective I'm not sure who owns what). I don't intend to infringe on anybody's rights, and I'm not getting any money out of this. Ranma Saotome, Akane Tendo, Mousse, Shampoo, and the other Ranma 1/2 characters are property of Rumiko Takahashi (hope I spelled that right). Again, this story is for reader enjoyment only. No profit is being made. Thank you, have a nice day...)) 

  
**Pokemon In Nerima**   
_by Becky Tailweaver_

**Epilogue: Friendship and Goodbye**

"You know, it was really nice of Gary to buy us lunch," Misty commented as she hitched her pack up a little higher. "Sometimes you think you have someone pegged as a total jerk, and then they go and do something that makes you think they've got just a _little_ bit of decency in them." 

As they hiked along the trail leading out of Nerima, Ash _humph_ed, not really wanting to concede anything to Gary. "Well, he owed us for saving his hide and his Pokemon from Team Rocket." He paused, thinking. "Ranma was right, though. That friend of his, Ukyo--she can sure cook up a good meal." 

"I'll say..." Brock added dreamily. "We should come back here sometime. She was really beautiful..." 

"There he goes again," Misty sighed as she walked. 

"Bulba!" 

"Pika!" 

"Squirtle!" 

"The Pokemon thought the meal was good, too," Ash interpreted, watching his friends gambol about. He'd let them out to play a bit as they walked to the next town that afternoon "Hey, Misty, maybe Ranma should be a Pokemon trainer. The way he clocked Charizard a good one for burning Ukyo's countertop..." 

"You shouldn't have let that orange menace out of his Pokeball, good meal or not!" Misty scolded. "But...you're right, though. Charizard sure didn't goof off with Ranma around." 

"He almost doesn't need Pokemon to fight. He's so strong even Charizard respects him! He'd make a great trainer, don't you think?" 

"Maybe _too_ great," Misty said softly. "He seems like the kinda guy who could do anything if he set his mind to it--just like you, Ash." 

"Aw..." Ash blushed and pulled his cap lower over his face. 

"Speaking of Ranma, do you think you'll be able to get by until this curse wears off?" 

On the ground, Bulbasaur and Squirtle were whispering to each other as they walked along behind the humans. 

"I guess," Ash replied. "I can manage. Ranma's been living with his curse for a year. I think I can survive a few days, or even a week or two." 

"Are you sure?" Misty asked, concerned. 

"Yeah!" Ash stood up straighter and looked confident. "I'm Ash Ketchum, a great Pokemon trainer! I can handle anything. A little magical changing for every once in a while won't bother me." 

"Squirtle squirt!" _Whooosh!_

"_Ack! **Squir-tuuuuul!**_" Ash's voice rose in a shrill soprano screech of indignation. 

"Squirtle-squirtle-squirtle-squirtle!" the Pokemon laughed, fleeing the scene. 

"Bulba! Bulbasaaaur!" 

"Get back here, Squirtle! You'll pay for that!" Ash snarled, quickly giving chase. 

"Don't hurt him!" Misty cried, fearing for the Water Pokemon's safety. "Wait up you guys! Ash, if you hurt that Pokemon I swear--!" 

"Pikapi! Pi pikachu!" 

"Ash, you said you could handle this! He was just playing a joke!" 

"This is _not_ funny! I'll get you for this, Squirtle!" 

"Squirt squirtle!" 

"Bulba-saur!" 

"_Pikachuuuuuuuuu!_"   
  
  


**The End**   
_Completed 3/29/01_

* * * 

  
_AN: I admit it, it was probably a really silly little fic. But it was the first, longest story I'd ever begun at the time (I had a whopping whole FIVE CHAPTERS written by the time I first posted it on my site) and I really wanted people to see it. I was young and impetuous at the time, and probably not as good as my months and months of practice have made me now. (Gee, how long has Tailweaver's Chronicles been running? Three years now? Whew...) It's been fun, however, to see how people react to my take on this crossover. Xovers are hard to make; you have to be able to stay true to BOTH universes, to please the audiences of both, AND you have to make it plausible. (Like, for instance, WHY the heck has Ash come to Nerima? Gotta find a reason.) I hope I did a good job. The value of a story is found in the hearts of those who hear it; an author is nothing if he simply spins yarns to himself! _

Come to my Xover page, "Converging Lives," to see more! There's a sort of continuation to this there, a "fic challenge" kinda thing...and another Pokemon story that I sort of started even before THIS one, so have a look...and please be kind!   
http://members.fortunecity.com/tailweaver/index.html 


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